High-Level Overview of I-67 Corridor US 60 and US 231
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FINAL REPORT High-Level Overview of I-67 Corridor US 60 and US 231 May 2014 HIGH LEVEL OVERVIEW OF I-67 CORRIDOR E X E C U T I V E S U M M A R Y Kentucky Transportation Cabinet – Division of Planning MAY 2014 The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) has undertaken a high-level overview study of the potential I-67 corridor from the Natcher Parkway and US 60 interchange in Owensboro, Kentucky to the Kentucky/Indiana state line. The I-67 Development Corporation is studying the feasibility of a potential I- 67 interstate corridor between I-65 in Nashville, Tennessee and I-196 in Western Michigan. However, an I-67 corridor is currently neither congressionally mandated nor administratively designated by the FHWA. In 2012, the I-67 Development Corporation published the I-67 Corridor Feasibility Study, which analyzed the feasibility of an interstate corridor between I-65 in Bowling Green, Kentucky and Indianapolis, Indiana. The study analyzed a potential I-67 corridor along the Natcher Parkway from I-65 in Bowling Green to US 60 in Owensboro, then along US 60 and US 231 to I-64 in Indiana. The corridor would then continue along a new interstate east of Huntingburg and Jasper, terminating at I-69 near Washington, Indiana. Figure ES-1 illustrates this segment of the potential I-67 corridor and is defined as follows: • Natcher Parkway and US 60 interchange (Exit 17) eastward along existing US 60 (Wendell Ford Expressway) to KY 54 interchange (Exit 18) (Blue); • US 60 (Bypass) Extension, currently under construction, from KY 54 interchange to Hawes Boulevard (Yellow); • US 60 from Hawes Boulevard to US 231 intersection (Red); • US 231 from US 60 across the William H. Natcher Parkway Bridge to Indiana (Green); Figure ES-1 I-67 Study Area Page | 1 STUDY PURPOSE The primary purpose of this high-level overview study is to review the existing conditions along US 60 (Wendell Ford Expressway), US 60 (Bypass) Extension, US 60, and US 231 to identify locations that do not meet current Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) highway design guidelines and related criteria for designation as an interstate route. Evaluations include the degree to which these criteria are not met and identify improvements to address identified deficiencies. STUDY ACTIVITIES The study activities for the High Level Overview of the I-67 Corridor Study included the following: • Identify criteria and standards per AASHTO and the FHWA for designation as an interstate route; • Collect data from the KYTC’s Highway Information System, As-built plans, crash data, field observation and measurement, and other information provided by the local KYTC District 2 office; • Compare and analyze collected data with the interstate criteria, and identify conditions and locations on US 60 (Wendell Ford Expressway), US 60 (Bypass) Extension, US 60, and US 231 that do not meet interstate criteria and standards; • Develop potential improvements and costs associated with improving these areas with identified deficiencies to meet criteria and standards. KEY FINDINGS The studied corridor provides some of the basic geometric characteristics of an interstate highway, such as two travel lanes in each direction, 12-foot lanes, 4-foot inside paved shoulders, 10-foot outside paved shoulders, 36-foot rural medians, 10-foot urban medians, 70 mph rural design speed, and 50 mph urban design speed. The urban sections exceed the minimum median widths, while the rural sections meet the minimum 36-foot median widths. However, some physical features of the project routes do not meet the criteria for an interstate facility. The following discussion describes the geometric features that do not meet interstate standards. The findings are based on available data and limited field reviews: • Interstate Control of Access: US 60 and US 231 are partially controlled access routes along the study corridor. Access to an interstate highway shall be fully controlled. The intersections and access entrances would need to be terminated, rerouted, or grade separated in order to satisfy minimum interstate criteria for control of access. • Interchange Configuration: According to the I-67 Corridor Feasibility Study published by the I-67 Development Corporation, the I-67 corridor in Kentucky would follow along the Natcher Parkway from I-65 in Bowling Green to Owensboro, then along US 60 (Wendell Ford Expressway), US 60 (Bypass) Extension, and US 60/US 231 across the Ohio River at the William H. Natcher Bridge. The Natcher Parkway and US 60 (Wendell Ford Expressway) interchange has a trumpet configuration. The Natcher Parkway entrance and exit ramps are one lane. Therefore, the northbound I-67 through movement is currently a one-lane ramp, and the southbound I-67 through movement is currently a one-lane loop ramp. US 60 (Wendell Ford Expressway) is the main movement through the interchange with more than 30,000 vpd traveling on four lanes. Based on the interstate criteria requiring two through lanes, the Natcher Parkway and US 60 interchange would need to be improved for the proposed I-67 route. • Bridge Lateral Clearance: One mainline bridge at MP 17.906 on US 60 (Wendell Ford Expressway) does not meet the minimum lateral clearance required. The mainline bridges on US 60 (Bypass) Extension, US 60, and US 231 meet the minimum lateral clearance required. • Vertical Alignment and Stopping Sight Distance: Two vertical curves on the westbound on-ramp at the KY 54 and US 60 (Wendell Ford Expressway) interchange do not meet the minimum interstate criteria. • Interchange Access Control: The KY 54 interchange on US 60 (Wendell Ford Expressway) does not meet the minimum control of access. Page | 2 PRELIMINARY COST ESTIMATES Table ES 1 provides a preliminary cost estimate to upgrade the I-67 corridor along US 60 (Wendell Ford Expressway), US 60 (Bypass) Extension, US 60, and US 231 to meet interstate standards and criteria. This study did not include any property research or utility location. Design & ROW and Construction Total Costs Improvement Location Environmental Utilities Costs (million) (million) 1 (million) 2 (million) US 60 Natcher Parkway / US 60 Interchange (Wendell Ford $6 $12 $41 $60 Expressway) Control of Access / Frontage Road US 60 / US 231 $5 $14 3 $36 $55 US 60 / US 231 Interchange US 60 / US 231 $5 $9 $30 $44 Vertical Alignment / Stopping Sight Distance KY 54 $0.5 $1 $4 $5 Interchange Access Control KY 54 $1 $3 $9 $13 US 231 William H. Natcher Bridge - - - - (Ohio River) Total $18 $39 $120 $177 1 Design & Environmental cost estimated at 15% construction costs 2 ROW and Utilities cost estimated at 30% construction costs 3 ROW and Utilities cost estimated at 40% construction costs for Control of Access / Frontage Road Improvement Table ES 1 I-67 Corridor Improvement Preliminary Cost Estimate Page | 3 HIGH-LEVEL OVERVIEW OF I-67 CORRIDOR TABLE OF CONTENTS A. Introduction 1 B. Operational Considerations 2 1. Crash Analysis 2 2. Traffic Volumes and Operational Level of Service 3 C. Access Control 5 1. Interstate Access Control 5 2. Interchange Access Control 6 D. Mainline Geometry/Typical Section 6 1. Design Speed 6 2. Typical Roadway Sections 6 3. Horizontal Alignment 7 4. Vertical Alignment 8 E. Bridges and Overpasses 8 1. Lateral Clearances of Bridges 8 2. Vertical Clearance of Overpasses and Sign Trusses 9 3. Bridge Conditions 9 4. Overhead Signs 10 F. Interchanges and Ramps 10 1. Design Speed 11 2. Typical Sections 11 3. Alignment Geometry 11 4. Speed-Change Lanes and Weaving Characteristics 12 5. Interchange Spacing 13 6. Interchange Configuration 13 G. Key Findings and Potential Improvements 14 1. Interstate Control of Access 14 2. Interchange Configuration 17 3. William H. Natcher Bridge 17 H. I-67 Corridor Overview Summary 17 LIST OF FIGURES Figure 1. I-67 Study Area 1 Figure 2. I-67 Corridor Control of Access 6 Figure 3. KY 54 and US 60 – Pleasant Valley Road Connector Interchanges 10 Figure 4. KY 144 Interchange and Hawes Blvd Intersection 11 Figure 5. Natcher Parkway / US 60 Trumpet Interchange 14 Figure 6. Interstate Control of Access 16 Figure 7. I-67 Interchange at US 60 17 LIST OF TABLES Table 1 I-67 Corridor – US 60/US 231 Mileages 2 Table 2 2011 Traffic Characteristics 3 Table 3 Future Traffic Volumes without Interstate Designation 4 Table 4 Future Traffic Volumes with Interstate Designation 5 Table 5 Summary of Mainline Bridge Lateral Clearances 9 Table 6 Interchange Spacing 13 Table 7 I-67 Corridor Improvement Preliminary Cost Estimate 19 High-Level Overview of I-67 Corridor A. Introduction The I-67 Development Corporation is studying the feasibility of potential I-67 interstate corridor between I-65 in Nashville, Tennessee and I-196 in Western Michigan. However, an I-67 corridor is currently neither congressionally mandated nor administratively designated by the FHWA. In 2012, the I-67 Development Corporation published the I-67 Corridor Feasibility Study, which analyzed the feasibility of an interstate corridor between I-65 in Bowling Green, Kentucky and Indianapolis, Indiana. The study analyzed a potential I-67 corridor along the Natcher Parkway from I-65 in Bowling Green to US 60 in Owensboro, then along US 60 and US 231 to I-64 in Indiana. The corridor would then continue along a new interstate east of Huntingburg and Jasper, terminating at I-69 near Washington, Indiana. This report is a high-level overview of the potential I-67 corridor from the Natcher Parkway and US 60 interchange in Owensboro, Kentucky to the Kentucky/Indiana state line. The primary purpose of the high-level overview study is to review the existing conditions along US 60 (Wendell Ford Expressway), US 60 (Bypass) Extension, US 60, and US 231 to identify locations that do not meet current Association of State Highway Transportation Officials (AASHTO) and Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) highway design guidelines and related criteria.